Chapter 4: Hello I'm Kamadeva but also someone else - Pokémon: Mercenary I'm Evil!

"Hello," I said, spreading my hands in what I felt was a very reasonable, welcoming gesture. "I am Kamadeva. However, my real name is Anansi. That said, you are Kamadeva's Pokémon, not Anansi's. Please internalize this distinction as best you can."

My Pichu stared at me.

Solar Wind stared at me.

Nightstone stared at me in the particular way one stares at a person who might be dangerous, stupid, or both, and is currently trying to figure out which.

They did not, at least verbally, internalize anything.

"That's fine," I continued, nodding to myself. "Every new partnership requires time to know each other."

I straightened and took a moment to appreciate the fact that my first mercenary operation had gone off without a hitch. Sure, there had been explosions, dragons, structural violations, emotional trauma, and a former regional Champion now preoccupied with integrating entirely new Pokémon species into the Kanto ecosystem, but by mercenary standards this had been a flawless debut.

The objectives had been achieved. Data acquired. Infrastructure improved. Two Pokémon secured for my Kamadeva persona, while still leaving room for me to later acquire partners for my civilian identity. Clean. Elegant. Educational.

The system, predictably, was already sulking in the background. It could only do so much, and the DECEPTIONS-INATOR! had been a one-time deployment anyway. I had no interest in overusing reality-warping nonsense unless strictly necessary.

…Okay, that was a lie. I had some interest. But restraint builds mystique.

Besides, Plan A was finished, which meant it was time to move cleanly into Plan B.

I turned my attention back to the Pokémon and activated the PokéSphere.

The device unfolded into the air like a polished idea made real, hovering smoothly as soft blue light rippled across its surface. Thanks to the system, and as a reward for naming both the Charmander and the Eevee, I'd received what was essentially a high-tech multipurpose drone straight out of a Mass Effect fever dream. Diagnostic platform, fabrication unit, battlefield support, encryption breaker, repair tool, mobile terminal, and Pokémon Storage relay all rolled into one elegant, floating sphere.

It could transmit Pokémon through the storage system, project holograms, record audio and video, and act as an autonomous Pokédex upgrade that actually flew.

And the best part?

It was all legally registered under my civilian front.

Anansi Solutions.

I smiled faintly. That company was going to change the world.

While the PokéSphere began installing system upgrades into Solar Wind and Nightstone, running layered diagnostics and stabilization routines, something occurred to me.

"Oh. Right," I said aloud. "Name for Pichu."

He perked up immediately, sparks dancing along his cheeks in what I chose to interpret as enthusiasm rather than indigestion.

"Pichu," I said, pointing dramatically, "your name is now Thunderbase."

The moment I spoke it, my voice echoed.

Not naturally.

Majestically.

The sound rippled outward with unnecessary resonance, like the universe itself had leaned in and decided this moment deserved better acoustics. I smiled instantly, because yes, I had bought the Dramatic Echo Voice Enhancement from the system store, and yes, it was absolutely worth it.

Some items in the system were outrageously expensive. Others, like this one, were dirt cheap and spiritually priceless.

Thunderbase blinked.

"…Pichu?"

"Yes," I said, satisfied. "Thunderbase."

Something subtle shifted. I could feel it, like a gear clicking into place behind the scenes. Identity anchors were powerful things, especially when reinforced by system-level authority. Thunderbase didn't fight it. He accepted it immediately, sparks crackling happily as if the name had always been waiting for him.

"Sweetness," I muttered. "Now for Anansi to come alive."

Pokémon POV

What the fuck?

Solar Wind stared at the glowing sphere hovering in front of him as it scanned his body again. And again. And again.

Why did his muscles feel tighter? Why did the heat in his chest feel sharper, more focused, like his flame had learned a new way to burn?

He hadn't done anything.

So why did he feel stronger?

Seriously, first this human male kidnaps him from the old man and the ranch, then explains some long, confusing nonsense about plans and identities and evil that doesn't even sound particularly evil, and now—

Wait.

Why did he just think sister?

Solar Wind stiffened.

He didn't have siblings.

…Did he?

Although he was very confused, his younger sister was not far off.

"P… p…?"

Nightstone blinked, ears twitching.

Something was wrong.

She tried to call out, to use the word that matched the yellow rodent's species name like she always would have, but the word simply wouldn't come. It felt blocked. Replaced. Like reaching for a memory that had been overwritten.

Her gaze drifted to the yellow Pokémon nearby.

Thunderbase stood there happily, sparks dancing, completely unbothered.

Her eyes shifted again.

Solar Wind stood a short distance away, flame burning brighter than before, his scales already taking on a deeper hue. He looked… older. Stronger. Closer to something bigger.

…Why did she think they were her brothers?

She'd met Thunderbase twelve hours ago.

Solar Wind had barely spoken to her back on the ranch.

And yet the feeling sat heavy and warm in her chest, stubborn and insistent.

Nightstone shook her head, ears flattening as something deep and unseen shifted, like a word erased and rewritten directly into her heart.

She didn't understand it.

But she didn't feel scared.

Back to Regular Scheduled POV

The system chimed softly in my vision.

Pokémon Profile Generated.

I smiled.

Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.

Pokémon: Pichu

Bloodline:[12% Gorochu (Fire/Electric)] | [Raichu (Electric) 75%] | [Alolan Raichu 2% (Electric/Psychic)] | [Fyrún Gorochu 10% (Electric/Dragon)] | [Unovan Raichu 1% (Electric/Fighting)]

Name: Thunderbase

Gender: ♂

Height: 1'01" (0.3m)

Weight: 4.5 lbs (2.0kg)

Level: 5

Ability: Static

Hidden Ability: Lightning Rod

Nature: Brave

Potential: Platinum

Rank: Overlord

Pokémon: Charmander (Kanto Legend Variant)

Name: Solar Wind

Gender: ♂

Height: 2'04" (0.7m)

Weight: 21.5 lbs (9.8kg)

Level: 5

Ability: Blaze | Tough Claws

Hidden Ability: Solar Power

Nature: Adamant

Potential: Platinum

Rank: Overlord

Pokémon: Eevee

Name: Nightstone

Gender: ♀

Height: 1'00" (0.3m)

Weight: 14.8 lbs (6.7kg)

Level: 5

Ability: Run Away | Adaptability

2nd Ability: Anticipation

Hidden Ability: Technician

Nature: Calm

Potential: Platinum

Rank: Overlord

"Eellcent! My evil team is perfect!"

I folded my arms and stared proudly at the system projections hovering in the air in front of me, lines of data scrolling past like a victory parade curated specifically for my ego. Three Pokémon. Overlord potential. Ridiculous bloodlines. Absurd move pools that would make any League official spontaneously develop a migraine.

Sure, ninety-five percent of their movesets were completely unusable until around level thirty-nine or so, maybe higher if we were being generous, but that was hardly a flaw. That was just how the world worked. Unless I started taking missions to increase their elemental energy capacity, memory storage, and physical foundations, most of those moves would eventually get overwritten or forgotten as they grew.

That was fine.

"Now, I could solve that with a few ethically questionable neuro-stimulation techniques, some ROM-shark-esque memory imprinting, and a light violation of several international Pokémon treaties," I mused aloud. "But I'm evil, not irresponsible."

I paused.

"…Okay, maybe I'm a little irresponsible. But that's a problem for Future Me."

Probably.

My attention snapped back to the trio in front of me as I straightened, clapping my hands together once.

"Alright team! Now that I name it's time for you to introduce my alternate self--which is technically my real life but it has a such a lame backstory that I couldn't be bothered-- "

The trio stared at their trainer as he ranted about his lame life for a good twenty minutes. Thunderbase, Nightstone, and Solar Wind were barely taking account of all the moves that even their parent could perform suddenly being knowledgeable to them but thanks to Kamadeva methods they deal with that information later.

Especially what happened next.

Their trainer snapped his fingers.

Reality folded.

Metal screamed softly as something massive forced itself into existence beside us, coils of copper wire and polished steel stitching together in midair. Pistons locked into place. Glass canisters hissed as they filled with glowing fluid. The machine stood upright like something ripped straight from an old Frankenstein manuscript and then upgraded by a billionaire with no supervision.

Levers. Switches. Arcing electricity. A faint hum that made the air vibrate.

"My Duplicator," I announced proudly. "Patent pending."

The machine whirred once, lights flaring brighter.

The Pokémon stared jaws wide. You think they would get used to it by now.

"For you, this machine built by me—"

"PIKA! (WHEN!?)"

Thunderbase's outburst cracked through the moment like a thunderclap, sparks jumping wildly from his cheeks as he rounded on his trainer, disbelief radiating off him in waves.

The accusation was clear, even without translation.

When did this happen?

How long had this been a thing?

How many other machines existed that they didn't know about yet?

I paused, looking down at him, genuinely considering the question.

"…Recently," I said at last, which was technically true depending on how one defined time, causality, and whether or not the system counted as cheating.

Thunderbase stared.

Solar Wind stared harder.

Nightstone made a small, uncertain sound and shifted closer to Thunderbase, as if proximity might somehow make the situation make more sense.

It did not.

The Duplicator hummed patiently beside them, utterly indifferent to the existential crisis it was causing.

"Well, anything," I declared, throwing my arms wide as if unveiling the world's greatest magic trick. "This machine will clone me—and he will live the life of Anansi!"

The lights went out.

Not flickered. Not dimmed.

Out.

Darkness slammed down like a curtain, sudden and absolute, followed an instant later by thunder that did not sound natural in any reasonable sense of the word. It wasn't just loud—it had intention. The air vibrated, pressure rolling outward as if the world itself had leaned in to listen.

Thunderbase shrieked, sparks detonating off his cheeks in a frantic spray.

Solar Wind dug his claws into the floor, flame flaring instinctively as his body shifted into a defensive stance, every dragon-blood instinct screaming that something big and very stupid was about to happen.

Nightstone froze.

Her eyes reflected the machine's glow as coils along the Duplicator ignited, arcs of electricity snapping between metal prongs while the glass canisters filled with luminous fluid that pulsed in time with the thunder overhead. Symbols crawled across the machine's surface—some mechanical, some very much not—locking into place like a ritual pretending to be technology.

You could feel it then.

The sense that something was being decided.

The Duplicator screamed to life.

Metal plates slid apart with violent precision, pistons slamming down as a humanoid outline formed inside the chamber. Light poured upward in a blinding column that punched straight through the darkness above, thunder answering it with another deafening crack.

Thunderbase backed up, fur standing on end.

Solar Wind's flame burned white-hot.

Nightstone's tail lashed once, sharp and nervous.

Inside the chamber, the shape solidified.

Bone. Muscle. Skin.

Breath.

The machine shuddered, lights flaring once more before abruptly cutting out as gravity returned with a vengeance. The chamber doors hissed open, steam rolling across the floor in thick waves.

A figure stepped forward.

Same height.

Same build.

Same face.

Different posture.

Different eyes.

He blinked once, then twice, steadying himself as his gaze swept the room with quiet curiosity rather than manic delight.

The Pokémon stared.

Hard.

The newcomer adjusted his shirt, glanced down at his hands, then exhaled slowly like a man waking from a long, strange dream.

"…Okay," he said, voice calmer, grounded. "That was… not how I expected to be born."

Thunderbase looked between the two identical humans.

Then screamed.

"PIKA!? (WHY ARE THERE TWO!?)"

Solar Wind's flame sputtered violently as his head snapped back and forth, tracking each version with mounting alarm.

Nightstone made a small, panicked noise and bolted behind Thunderbase, peeking out just enough to confirm the nightmare was real.

I clapped my hands together, delighted.

"Excellent! Neural stability intact. Motor function flawless. Minimal screaming." I leaned in, grinning beneath my mask. "Welcome to existence."

The duplicate looked at me.

Then at the Pokémon.

Then back at me.

"…You're the problem version, aren't you?"

I laughed, thunder still rumbling faintly above.

"Correct! And you," I said proudly, gesturing toward him, "are Anansi—civilian identity, emotionally responsible edition. You will attend school, build a respectable company, maintain social relationships, and generally prevent my life from collapsing while I'm busy being important."

Anansi—the other one—pinched the bridge of his nose.

"…I already regret this."

Thunderbase sat down very hard.

Solar Wind slowly lowered his claws.

Nightstone stared at both humans, tail flicking once as something deep and unseen quietly accepted a new, deeply confusing truth.

This was their life now.

And somehow, against all reason—

It was only just beginning.

Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Hello I'm Kamadeva but also someone else